Walkthrough : 1. (System Targeting) Here is my basic strategy for fighting all vessels (and it WORKS).First, acquire the target. Scroll through the targets until you find which one you want to pummel first.Tactically, the consensus is to eliminate smaller ships first. However, I prefer to go for the big boys and get them out of the way quickly. Your choice. My way is harder and riskier, but risk is our business, right? After aquiring the target, determine whether it is capable of cloaking. If the vessel is equipped with a cloaking device, lock your phasers onto the cloaking device immediately (hot key sequence: V and then 8). Keep in mind that the ship will probably cloak and decloakseveral times, so memorize this key sequence, because you will have to re-lock each time it decloaks. If the ship is not equipped with a cloak (or you have already destroyed thecloaking device), lock phasers onto the ship's impulse drive (hot key sequence: V and then 3). Pummel the impulse drive until the ship is immobilized (this is best accomplished by following directly behind the enemy- this approach also allows the enemy to bring the FEWEST weapons to bear on you). You can now either attack any other hostile ships or finish off the shipyou are attacking. Remember, the disabled vessel can still rotate, so stay out of its firing arcs. This is mytried-and true tactic. Make sure you keep a close eye on the enemy if you are chasing him. If you blow out hisimpulse drive, he will stop dead in his tracks, and you run the risk of colliding with him because your Starship cannot stop on a dime. So turn out of the way if you're about to crash.One more thing: Don't lock your phasers on an enemy's disruptors or photons. All ships have more than onephaser/disruptor, and many have multiple photon launchers. You'll spend a lot more time blowing up weaponry thanyou will knocking out an impulse drive or cloak (plus, weapons are usually so small that only half your shots will actually hit it, depending on your approach angle).

2. (Use the damn hot-keys!) The hot keys are essential for non-combat systems. If you want toadjust your damage control in mid-battleby using your mouse to scroll screens, you will die often. Bridgestations should be accessed using the B key.When you press B, your sensor display will give you a menu of all ofyour bridge stations. If you want to target aspecific enemy ship component, press the V key. A similar menu willappear. You can allocate energy ordamage control to your systems by hitting the E key, choosing a system,and pressing the + or - keys (I findthis takes too long. Just use the Engineering Station (V2).) TheEngineering Station's Graphical interface ismuch more efficient and quick to use.

3. (Damage Control) Don't ignore your crew, but don't pay TOO much attention to them.Robin will report every time a shield orsystem is damaged. You don't need to worry when shields are hit. Worryabout damage control AFTER you areout of harm's way. If you are under a fierce barrage, get your engineson-line and try to get far away. If you have a single attacker, try tofinish him off (if you have a good chance), and then lick your wounds.Mid-combatdamage control can be very fatal (unless you're allocating to lifesupport, warp drive, or impulse). If you're in themiddle of a fight, and all of a sudden you can't fire any weapons, thisis a tell-tale sign that you need to tear-assout of there and repair. Use your judgement.

4. (The Tractor-and-Plow Maneuver) Cloaked ships getting you down? Well, if you don't want to take thetime to destroy a ship's cloaking device,you can try this little gem. Approach a cloaking-capable shipstraight-on, firing as usual. If he tries to cloak,lock a tractor beam on him (this works best with a Klingon B'Rel ClassBird of Prey). Sometimes the target willbe moving too fast for a tractor lock, so it may help to damage hisimpulse drive ahead of time. If you try thisenough, you may eventually lock onto him. Once that is done, you canfire upon him mercilessly whether he iscloaked or not. There are two things to consider here. First, if he IScloaked, you will do a significant amount ofdamage, as his shields are not raised while cloaked. Second, and mostimportant, if you try this maneuveragainst a larger ship (Garuda or D-7A), you can expect a LOT ofresistance. The first thing he will do is rotatetoward you and lock every weapon he has onto your tractor beam. And ifyou're fighting a Garuda (or even aRomulan Warbird), you will be in perfect range for a Plasma Torpedoattack, which can prove quite deadly. Useyour judgement. This tactic is perfect for multiple Birds-of-Prey, butnot reliable against larger ships.

Other Tactics

Klingon D-7's and Super Cruisers

The sensors on D-7's and Super Cruisers are extended from the main partof the ship much like the warpnacelles of a Constitution or Excelsior. Much like a Constitution orExcelsior you can blow the sensors off of aD-7 making it almost as crippled as it is without impulse. Plus it justlooks cool to see a D-7 without anysensors.

Damage Control

Reassign your damage control values to 100% for Warp and Shields, dropTractor Beam Repair to 0%, lockthem at those positions, this will raise all other repair levels to 75%and allow your engineer to modify them asneeded. If the Tractor Beam is damaged and then needed later it canusualy be repaired far more quickly thanany other system on the ship.

Your Warp drives are your life. Never allow them, through neglect, to bedestroyed. If you can't get home you fail the mission, and your crew.

Simple as that. I have never had a Tractor Beam blown off my hull mount,I've lost my nacelles once, and believe me, I'd have traded my tractorfor them in a heartbeat!